Flexible door and shutter and certain connections therefor.



' No. 824,334. PATENTED JUNE 26, 1906.

J. BAUM. FLEXIBLE DOOR. AND SHUTTER AND CERTAIN CONNECTIONS THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21. 1903.

W l T N E SSE S UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

k atented uune 26, 1906.

Application filed December 21,1903. Serial No. 186,048.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB BAUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Doors and Shutters and Certain Connections Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages resulting from their 1 use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent fromthe following description and claims.

Certain features of my invention are applicable to various structures.

When applied to a safe, one of the principal objects of my invention in such application is to provide means for rendering the front portion of a safe where the door is located extra fireproof.

Another object, of my invention in such application is to provide a light door which may be easil operated and can be used at all times w on the main door, which latter is always a heavy one, need not be closed.

'These and other important objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description.

I will now proceed to describe my invention in detail.

In the, accompanying drawings, makin a art of this a p cation, and in which simi ar etters of re erence indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of "a safe, illustrating my invention. Fi 2 is a view in perspective of a portion of t e same safe, the view being on a somewhat larger scale. Herefrom a portion of the roof and back and side are removed to uncover a part of that mechanism which it is important to understand in comprehending my invention. Fig. 3 is a view'in erspective of a portion of the novel and flexi 1e screenwork. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the construction of a preferred kind of handle and of the means for connectin it to the screen. Fi 5" represents a vertlcal central section ta en from front to rear through the safe and illustrating certain features of the construction. This section is taken in the plane of the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail, partly insection and partly in elevation, the section being a horizontal one andtaken in the plane of the dotted line 6 6 of Fi 5. This detail is of mate a suitable sto same construction further illustration is unnecessary. Fig. 7. represents in end elevation the preferred form of the links which enter into the construction of the screen.

A indicates a safe of any suitable configuration.

B indicates the top of the safe; C, the back; D, the bottom; E E the sides, and F the front thereof.

The safe may be supported on rollers D D in any proper manner. The safe may have one or more outside doors F. In the present illustrative instance it has two outside doors. It may have an inside door or doors; but as these are no art of my invention they are omitted here cm.

L indicates the safe-lining.

Within the safe I locate a movable flexible screen II. This screen is to be located at the top and back and front of the safe. As it is movable, I provide at each side runways K. The adjacent ends of the various parts of the screen are present in these runways K and slide therein. These runways are present at the rear, to and front portions of the sides, substantial y as indicated. A preferred mode of making these runways is as follows: A frame-plate M carries ridgesor ides M Between these rid 7 es or guides guideway K, whic receives the adjacent edge of the screen H. A referred mode of inserting the screen into t e guideway after the pieces M M are respectively attachedto their respective sides of the safe is to leave the rear part of the guideway K open at or below the midhei ht of the safe, substantially as shown in I front end of the screen can be introduced into these guideways at the rear opening and be passed upward. In this way the entire screen can be introduced at the rear, and by the time that the rear end of the screen is fully within the rear portion of the guideway K the front end has reached the upper part of the front of the safe and is in position to be manipulated from that point. At or near the rear opening into the guideway K, I loto' prevent the flexible screen or curtain 0m coming out of this 0 enin and also frombeing carried too far a 011g t e back when the screen is moved back, so as to uncover the front of the comig. 5. In such a case the 2 is the partment. a

The referred manner of constructin the screen a mode which 1s, so far as am aware, of my invention, is as follows: The screen consists of pieces or links J, each link approximating the outline of the letter s. T ere isa middle curved part J united to the end curved portions J J. Each of these curved portions extends around within itself, so that it may be said to form a barrel or cylinder irrespective of the central connecting portion J In other words, each link J may e said to consist of two portionsan upper one, J and a lower one, J duly connected by an intermediate portion J The adjacent cylinders of these links are readily united to gether. A preferred mode of uniting them is to slide the one into the end of the other. In such union one-half of each interlocked cylnder comes outside and the other half goes inside of the cylinder, which it interlocks. One of the advantages of this construction is that all of the links can be made alike. Such a screen when located within the safe in sub stantially the mode already specified will move easily. It will readily accommodate itself to the curves at the upper angles of the safe. It can be readily drawn down in front, so as to shut up the front of the compartment, and be as readilylifted, so as to uncover the front of the compartment. The particular and preferred mode of making the screen renders it very strong. It is to be noted that by the insertion of one tube within the other each tube is made stronger. Thus if the tubes are made of sheet metal one-sixteenth of an inch thick the thickness of the entire roll will be one-fourth inch heavy on the supposition that the roll or cylinder was flattened. The inside edge of each barrel or cylinder J and J 4 is bent or rounded in at J. Then the same will not bind by scraping against the adjacent surface of the cylinder with which it is combined. Of course the cylinder is still stronger because a circular hollow body has more strength proportionately. The screen is also very impervious to the passage of air through it, inasmuch as any air which may seek an entrance between the interlocking members of the screen will have very little opportunity to enter not only because the omt is a very close one, but

also because the distance the air has to travel before it can get into the compartment of the safe is very great. This distance which it would have to travel is very nearly equal to the circumference of two of such barrels. Under such circumstances any entrance of air through the screen into the safe-compartment is practically prevented. For a like reason the screen has the advantage of being dust-proof.

A preferred mode of constructing the handle for manipulating the screen is as follows: Through the bottom art of the lower cylinder or barrel J of t e lowest link J at the front of the safe I pass the ends of the handle P up into the space within this barrel. Each of these ends is formed in the shape of an eye or hook P Through each eye a rod P is passed. Each rod P with its eyepiece, has, preferably, a little play.

The screen is also preferably adapted to be locked when down, so that it cannot be raised until unlocked. One mode of thus locking it consists in making a slot S in the lower barrel J and in providing the lock S located in the front part of the bottom of the safe with a hook adapted, when the key of the lock is turned, to engage the slot S of the screen. When thus locked, the screen is held securely down, and the compartment of thesafe is fully protected from being en tered unless considerable force is used to cut away the screen. The screen is preferably of metal. The thin sheet or lining L preferably covers the screen at the back and also at the top of the safe. The main fireproof walls of the safe at top, rear, bottom, and sides are exterior to the screen.

A consideration of my invention as pre sented will make apparent the following advantages resulting from my invention. The screen when closed down serves to keep all dust and dirt'out of the compartments of the safe behind the screen. Thus the contents of the safe in the compartments, which may be, of course, subdivided into minor compartments, will be kept much cleaner than they otherwise would be where the main doors of the safe are left open, as they ordinarily are during the day. As the doors of the safe are relatively very heavy, they are usually left open during the day, as it is burdensome to open and close them every time an article is to be taken out or put into the safe. The screen when closed down and locked affords a temporary and quite efficient protection against articles being stolen from the safe. One of the most important advantages of my invention is that it greatly aids in preventing the destruction of the contents of the safe in the event ofa fire or conflagration, the heat of which attacks the safe. When the door or doors of the safe are closed, there is always more or less leakage of hot air between them and the main body of the safe, and when there are two doors also between their meeting edges. It has already been mentioned that when my screen is resent and closed down, as it will be when t e safe is closed, the entrance of air into the safe through the screen is barred. For a like reason in the event of a conflagration the hot air will be practically revented from reaching the contents of t e safe. The same is true as to the heat radiating from the edges of the doors at such a time, and which, if not obstructed, would pass directly to the contents of the safe. My screen presents an obstruction to such radiation. Another advantage of my screen is as follows: It will be recollected that in a safe where the doors are as claiming its application to such structures.

hung on hin es and accurately fitted to the opening the east heat will wa a door made in the old way and allow the eat to enter; but the screen will not warp nor will it open, nor will it leave its position in the end guides. Hence it will be invaluable as an adjunct and accessory to the doors in preventing the ingress of hot air. The entire inside of the safe including the plates carrying the parts forming the grooves or guides for the screen are coveredwith wood. In other words, the inner wood casin is like that of all regular safes. This ma es an air-chamber which is absolutely dry and serves as a double nonconducter of heat. My screen as arranged to take the place of an inside door or doors greatly economizes room. The ordinary safes of the present styles have inside doors and have a hinge on the top and bottom part of the door projecting three-fourths of an inch and more. In a very few cases only such projection is not more than five-eighths of an inch. This space must .be blocked at that part of the safe where a drawer is to be placed in order to allow the door to slide out in clearance. Inasmuch as the central portion of each barrel of each link is hollow, the air thus confined also serves as a non-conductor of the heat.

That feature of my invention which consists of the novel construction of the screen itself is obviously applicable to other structures, and I therefore wish to be understood A'great many variations might be made in the general form and arrangement of the parts described without de arting from my invention, and I do not conf ine myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the links interlock in the preferred manner; but the links can interlock as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Both modes come under my invention.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An adjustable flexible screen consisting of pairs of barrels or cylinders, each pair consistin of a cylinder J 2 and a cylinder J unite by a curved intermediate portion, the inner end of each cylinderbeing separate from the cylinder itself, and adapted to be interlocked with the adjacent cylinder of a similar link, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

i 2. An adjustable flexible screen consisting of pairs of barrels or cylinders, each pair consisting of two cylinders united by a curved intermediate portion, the inner end of each cylinder being separate from the cylinder itself, and bent inward, each cylinder adapted to be interlocked with the adjacent cylinder ofa similar link, substantially as and for the purposes s ecified.

3. An a justable flexible screen consisting of pairs of barrels or cylinders, each pair consistin' of a cylinder J and a cylinderJ, unite by a curved intermediate portion, the innerends of the cylinders being separate from the cylinders themselves, and adapted to be interlocked with the adjacent barrel of a similar link, the lower cylinder J of the screen being provided with a handle P having eyes P P located within said cylinder, and the rod P passing through said cylinder,

and held in position within the screen, substantially as and for the pur oses specified.

4. In an adjustable fiexi le screen, a link consistingof two barrels or cylinders, one J and the other J}, united at J 3 the one cylinder beginning where the other ends, the inner end of each cylinder being free, cylinders of adjacent links being capable of bein joined together, substantially as and for the purposes specified.-

JACOB BAUM. 

